Brushy Peak & Sycamore Grove, California
The East Bay
California’s East Bay had somehow remained a blind spot for me. I lived in the Bay Area for a couple years, but never spent much time exploring beyond the usual places around San Francisco and the Peninsula. I finally spent a day wandering around Brushy Peak and Sycamore Grove, and I’m glad I did.
There are several ways to hike through Brushy Peak - out-and-back options and a few loops. I took a loop that cut right through active grazing land, which made for some surreal moments - including a near-full moon rising over the hillside while cows casually wandered across the ridge line. Between the rolling golden hills, winding trails, oak trees, wind turbines, and quiet creek beds, it felt like a side of the Bay Area I’d somehow missed all these years.
By the end of the day, I’d walked almost 10 miles and came home with a set of images that felt very different from what I usually shoot.
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